Sahabat selamanya...

I've mentioned before that we're not alone in this world and that the world doesn't just revolve around us. Indeed we need other people and that's how we make it through life, being helped and helping others. I paid a visit to my dear college last month after my final exams. It's nice to know that the guards still remember me :) Passing through the gates made me feel like I never left. I love my school and I love it so because I owe it a lot. I owe my school my life and I say that because there is where I learnt in greater depth about meaning of life. I didn't fully understand then, neither have I understood clearly now but even so, that school was the start of it. The start of my journey in search of the truth. My eyes were opened and so was my heart. Despite whatever hardship faced (I tell you boarding school life especially 5 years of it isn't easy) I found Islam. Weird you say? My friends would find it weird I'm sure but yes, in school is where I found it. Somewhere, somehow I did and because of that I will forever be grateful to my school.

I met a lot of my teachers who still remember me and yes, that did bring tears to my soul. Teachers who have given me so much and when compared to them I'd feel so tiny and yet they still remember me. I don't know about you but for me, to be remembered by people I respect is indeed something I'd feel very touched about. Chatted with a few of them but I had this long talk with Ustazah Habibah who only taught me when I was in form 2. I used to remember that I felt so lucky to have her teach me. Not that I didn't want anybody else but you know, sometimes you just have this dream of getting a particular teacher. Alhamdulillah, that year I did. She taught me many things far more than whatever thing in the textbook that she had to teach. It wasn't that, that caught me. I was touched mostly by her herself.

I see in her, a way of thinking that is different and somehow very easy for me to relate to. I always thought of her as a grandmother to me. You know why? Because she is so full of wisdom and she has that way of making me realise things just by saying so few. I couldn't say mother because I don't know, I feel that to be more sacred and only for my mum. You know one of the things she said to me that day?

"Nanti bila dah fly, cari kawan yang baik ya Nadira? Kawan tu penting. InsyaAllah ada."

I'd say that is an awesome piece of advice. Sound unimportant to you? Well I say it's important! And I'm forever thankful to Allah for the friends I already have that are dear to me :)

But wait! Take a look at this...

"Pada hari itu sahabat-sahabat karib: setengahnya akan menjadi musuh kepada setengahnya yang lain, kecuali orang-orang yang persahabatannya berdasarkan taqwa (iman dan amal salih)."

[Az-Zukhruf 43:67]

To my friends, I don't want us to only be friends here in this life we're in. I want us to be friends even in the after life. We often hear people say friends forever right? How long is your forever? Ever thought of that? I don't want us to care for each other and love each other now and later be enemies in akhirat. I want us to still care and love each other in front of Allah later on when all of us are faced to Him.

Mind you, this is not only for friends, but also for family...anybody dear to you really. Anybody you love no matter what the relation. Mother, father, brother, sister, classmate, housemate, roommate, college mate...anything at all. Even a person who has nothing to do with you except hold on to the same faith. Even a person you love that does or doesn't love you back. I know that later in after life, I wanna stay loving to them and how can I do that? Ensure that it's all because of Allah and done with taqwa.

Are your reasons for being friends with others correct? If you're not sure then it's not too late to make it right :) Like I always say, it's never too late so long as you're still breathing :)

So, let me ask you if indeed you are my friend, why are you friends with me?